More Olympics travel woes as thousands stuck after storms cancel high-speed trains from Paris

Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Get Simon Calder’s Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A local storm Wednesday interrupted all high-speed train traffic connecting Paris to the southeast of the country as well as Switzerland in both directions, France’s rail company said, leaving thousands of travelers stranded amid the Olympics and departures for summer vacation. Authorities cut the power off the track and a logging operation has already started to remove the tree, but initial observations showed the matter won’t be fixed quickly, the SNCF said, adding that all on that line were being brought back to a station in order to help people find alternatives travel modes, the company added. The Paris Tourist office said on Monday that average hotel prices during the games have fallen to 258 euros per night - down from 342 euros earlier in the summer, which at that time represented a 70% increase from the average 202 euro price in July 2023. Travel agents say people may encounter discounts ranging from 10% to as much as 70% as operators offer deals after demand for the Games fell below expectations due to high prices and security concerns.